VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - That saying about it being harder to stay on top than it is to get to the top? You know that's right when it comes to the FIBA EuroBasket.

Only it applies more to those up-and-coming teams that have been in the wilderness for so long like the Netherlands, teams trying not to be one-hit wonders, and not the sides like Spain, the juggernauts that have won three of the last four titles.

The qualification process for the FIBA EuroBasket is a beast. In 1989, the Dutch played at the European Championship, as it was then known, in Zagreb and finished eighth out eight teams.

Despite the tournament's expansion to 16 teams in 1993 and then 24 in 2011, the Dutch still did not make it to the Final Round until last year. Coincidentally, they made their long-awaited return in Zagreb.

And for those of you who say that basketball is a big man's sport, isn't it interesting that the Netherlands, which has the tallest average height (1.83m) for men in the world, according to a story published in the journal eLife this summer, did not make it to the Final Round for so long?

The question is, can the Dutch make it to back-to-back EuroBaskets?

While the Netherlands did not advance to the Round of 16 last year, they were tough customers. Led by coach Toon van Helfteren, one of the most famous players in the country's history, the Dutch lost four of their five games but trust me, they were one of the best 1-4 teams of all time. They began with a 73-72 victory over Georgia.

The Netherlands then suffered four straight defeats by single-digit margins. They slipped up against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD), 78-71, in their second game and then lost to Slovenia, 81-74. Croatia edged them, 78-72, and finally Greece scraped a 68-65 triumph over the men in orange.

Had they won the game against the Greeks, the team would have travelled to the north of France for the knockout round, not far from the Dutch border and plenty of fans would have been able to make the trip to watch their team.

One of the revelations of the tournament, Charlon Kloof, went to the line with 23 seconds to go and had a chance to cut the Greek lead to one point but split a pair of free-throws. The Greeks held on.

"The trip to Lille was there to take and we didn't," Van Helfteren said at the time. "We didn't take the present that was there."

"Win three away games in a row, we would have signed up for that in advance." - Dutch forward Yannick Franke

Instead of fretting about having to go through qualifying again to reach the tournament in 2017, the Netherlands have shown what they're made of. The team lost its first qualification game for FIBA EuroBasket 2017 on home soil, 75-72, to an Austria team that is trying to make it to the Final Round itself for the first time since 1977.

The Dutch have reeled off three consecutive victories, all on the road, since. They won at Denmark, 90-72, at Germany, 75-71, and on Saturday at Austria, 75-61. Van Helfteren's side is far from home and dry because on Wednesday in Leiden at the Vijf Meihal, they face a Danish side that is sky high after a triple overtime win in Germany on Saturday.

Denmark stunned Germany in triple overtime on Saturday night

Then comes a game against the Germans three days later. Germany, who are now 2-2, are certainly not going to go quietly.

"Our situation yas not changed much," Germany coach Chris Fleming said after the shock defeat to the Danes, a team that had not won a qualifying game since 2013. "With two wins, we go to the EuroBasket."

As it is, right now is an exciting time in Dutch basketball. Players like Worthy de Jong have gotten a taste of the EuroBasket and youngsters like Yannick Franke, a member of last year's team that didn't get many minutes, are emerging. He followed up an 18-point effort in the win at Germany with 12 in Austria.

"We knew what our job was, namely to win here by four points or more," he said. "Then you hear that Germany has lost. We are doubly happy. We are now in a flow. Winning in Austria by 14 points is fantastic. Win three away games in a row, we would have signed up for that in advance."

The Netherlands may be able to reach the EuroBasket as one of the four best second-placed teams, but they don't want to leave anything to chance.

FIBA
Jeff Taylor

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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